TNAG-0873-FCO40-1083-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 11

42. Available statistics indicate that the bulk of economically active children are employed in agriculture. In all regions, children in rural areas begin at an early age to do some work on the land being cultivated by their parents,

to care for domestic animals and the like, Direct regulation of this kind of work done by children is, according to the International Labour Organisation, not practicable in most developing countries. There is little chance that child labour by unpaid family workers could be reduced significantly so long as families cannot dispense with such help and adequate educational facilities are not available.

43. On the other hand, however, an appreciable number of children is reported to be working on plantations or other agricultural undertakings producing mainly for commercial purposes, in all areas of the world, including some industrialized countries.

44. Child labour in these cases often takes the form of labour with a family group, with the children helping the adults in a variety of tasks.

It appears

that the use of piece rates or contracts specifying quotas often tends to encourage the unofficial employment of children by their parents as helpers on plantations. In some cases, children have also been known to engage in heavy work such as ploughing, rice planting and harvesting.

45.

In some areas, particularly of southern Europe, children are often hired as farmhands to care for animals, at very low wages, and some times only in exchange for food and lodging.

46. While most countries are reported to have at least some legislation regulating minimum age for admission to employment in agriculture, the effectiveness of these laws appears to have remained very limited.

47. It must be pointed out that modern agriculture entai's as many risks as any hazardous industrial occupation for children, because of the increasing mechanization of farm work and the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

3. Child labour in other types of employment

48. Large numbers of children in all regions are reported to be working in small shops, restaurants, hotels, street trades and various service occupations. In particular, the street trades (i.e. shoe-shine boys, errand boys, street vendors, beggars) often involve children who are very young, homeless and subject to the most exploitative conditions. According to the International Labour Organisation, such occupations in the long run lead to "prejudice to the safety, health, moral welfare and social development of children that must result from uncontrolled wandering in the streets for long hours, until late at night, with constant exposure not only to bad weather, dirt, fumes and traffic but also to the most sordid aspects of city life".